Cricwizz’s Top 10 news of the day

The first day of the second Test match between India and England was washed out due to rain

Folks! Now you don’t have to run to different platforms for every news as we are up with the top 10 cricket news of the day:

1) Indian cricket selectors to receive big pay raise

MSK Prasad & Co. are set for the pay raise.

Indian cricket selectors are set to receive a hike in their salaries as approved by the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA). The chief selector (MSK Prasad) is set to receive a hike of Rs 20 lakhs while the other two selectors (Sarandeep Singh and Devang Gandhi) will get a hike of Rs 30 lakhs.

A rise in pay for the selectors is a fair decision as they have the major responsibility of looking after the players at the domestic level as well as the international level. They keep a regular check on the performances of players and when to give them a nod to play at the bigger level. In a cricket-centric nation like India, it’s tough to choose the best 15-16 players for a particular tour. Also, state selectors must be considered for a pay hike as well as it will give them the confidence to do their work the right way.

2) First day’s play called off due to rain

The first day of the all-important Test between India and England was called off due to rain. Spectators were praying for some play but the conditions played spoilsport. However, play is expected to resume on Day 2.

After losing the first test, Team India would be hoping for a miracle in this iconic Lord’s Test. The bowling department has been amazing so far but batting is the real concern for Kohli & Co. Being the number one Test side, India would have to bat well if they want to comeback in the series. Otherwise it would be really difficult for the Asian powerhouse.

3) Kohli has the best technique in the world, says Steve Waugh

Australian legend Steve Waugh is really impressed by Indian star Virat Kohli. The legend himself said that the Delhiite has the best technique right now in the world. In the era of Smith, Warner, Amla, Root and Williamson, it’s an honour for Virat Kohli to get this compliment from one of the all-time greats.

In the past as well, Steve Waugh has praised Rahul Dravid & Sachin Tendulkar for their technique. This comment for Virat Kohli is a big plus for the chase master. Presently, he is playing against England at Lord’s. Team India lost the first Test by 31 runs but are looking to make a comeback in the 2nd Test against a splendid bowling attack.

4) Chandimal returns to Sri Lanka T20 squad after ban

Dinesh Chandimal is back in Sri Lanka’s T20 squad against South Africa.

Dinesh Chandimal returned to the side after serving a ban. The ban was implemented because of his refusal to take the field in a Test match against Windies in June. He was banned by the ICC for the third Test and then for the 2 Tests and 4 ODIs against South Africa.

But now, the Sri Lankan is back in the team for the one-off T20I against South Africa. His inclusion would help the players to continue the good show against the Proteas.

5) Shakib likely to miss the Asia Cup

Bangladesh legend Shakib Al Hasan is likely to miss the important Asia Cup campaign due to a finger injury that occurred in the month of January against Sri Lanka. Shakib wants this surgery to take place before the Asia Cup but the 31-year old himself said that he could miss the tournament if things didn’t go his way.

Bangladesh would be in serious trouble if Shakib is unavailable for the tournament as he is the most experienced lad in the side. The team have to compete with Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in Pool B of the tournament starting from September 15.

6) Cummins & Hazlewood out of Pakistan Tests

Josh Hazlewood of Australia. (CA)

Setback for Australia as Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins have been ruled out from the Test series against Pakistan. Both are suffering from back injuries and according to their physios, they won’t be able to recover on time.

Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc is on track of returning to the Test squad against Pakistan which is a good sign for the Kangaroos. Australia’s condition is not good these days due to their 2 champions sitting out. In this case, this is another drawback for them as Pakistan are brilliant in UAE. However, the physio said that both the pacers might be available for the ODI series against Pakistan.

7) We are tempted to play two spinners says Kohli

Virat Kohli scored his maiden Test ton in England on August 2 (Day 2 of the 1st Test)

It is clear from the captain’s statement that India are going to take the field with two spinners. Kuldeep Yadav is most likely to play the match because of his past heroics as well as his tricky bowling in front of English batsmen. Kohli would want to win this pivotal match at any cost in order to avoid going down 0-2 to England.

It’s already 1-0 in the series and another loss from here can put India on the backfoot. 3 straight wins from here onwards is not the most ideal scenario for India. So, the number one Test side has to perform at the Mecca of Cricket to level up the series.

8) IPL brand value rises by 19%

Deepak Chahar in action against KXIP. Photo courtesy: IPLT20

Indian Premier League has gained an increase in the overall brand value from US$ 5.3 billion in 2017 to US$ 6.3 billion in 2018. Mumbai Indians, with a brand value of US$ 113 million, topped the charts for the third season in a row.

By these figures, we can expect the 2019 IPL to be a much bigger affair. With the return of the sides like Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, the next season is bound to to rake in high TRPs. We can also expect more teams to join the league in the future, if the financial growth continues.

9) Sachin Tendulkar to ring bell at Lord’s

Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar was set to ring the bell at Lord’s ahead of the second Test between India and England but now he has to wait for the 2nd day to do so as nature had other plans (rain).

Tendulkar was also spotted with film-maker Kabir Khan and actor Ranveer Singh at Lord’s. The actor-director are set to make a movie on 1983 World Cup named ’83.’

10) Australia’s Ellyse Perry feels that time is right for women’s IPL

Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry feels that a full-fledged women’s Indian Premier League (IPL) will be the next big step on the circuit. During the 2018 edition of the IPL, a women’s exhibition match was played between IPL Trailblazers and IPL Supernovas in Mumbai before the Qualifier 1 clash. Perry, Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy, Megan Schutt and Beth Mooney were among the five Australians who participated in the match.

The concept of full-fledged Women’s IPL is a great idea as the young Indian talent will get exposure in a better way when they compete against international players. Like Men’s IPL, this could also be the next big thing in the world cricket as there is hardly any big market of cricket like India in this world.